PinkMonkey.com Digital Library - A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

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remarks in detail; but, she so far understood them as to perceive
that she was set at naught.

“Woman imbecile and pig-like!” said Madame Defarge, frowning.
“I take no answer from you. I demand to see her. Either tell her
that I demand to see her, or stand out of the way of the door and
let me go to her!” This, with an angry explanatory wave of her
right arm.

“I little thought,” said Miss Pross, “that I should ever want to
understand your nonsensical language; but I would give all I have,
except the clothes I wear, to know whether you suspect the truth,
or any part of it.”

Neither of them for a single moment released the other’s eyes.
Madame Defarge had not moved from the spot where she stood
when Miss Pross first became aware of her; but, she now advanced
one step.

“I am a Briton,” said Miss Pross, “I am desperate. I don’t care an
English Twopence for myself. I know that the longer I keep you
here, the greater hope there is for my Ladybird. I’ll not leave a
handful of that dark hair upon your head, if you lay a finger on
me!” Thus Miss Pross, with a shake of her head and a flash of her
eyes between every rapid sentence, and every rapid sentence a
whole breath. Thus Miss Pross, who had never struck a blow in her
life.

But, her courage was of that emotional nature that it brought the
irrepressible tears into her eyes. This was a courage that Madame
Defarge so little comprehended as to mistake for weakness. “Ha,
ha!” she laughed, “you poor wretch! What are you worth! I address
myself to that Doctor.” Then she raised her voice and called out,
“Citizen Doctor! Wife of Evremonde! Child of Evremonde! Any
person but this miserable fool, answer the Citizeness Defarge!”
Perhaps the following silence, perhaps some latent disclosure in
the expression of Miss Pross’s face, perhaps a sudden misgiving
apart from either suggestion, whispered to Madame Defarge that
they were gone. Three of the doors she opened swiftly, and looked
in.

“Those rooms are all in disorder, there has been hurried packing,
there are odds and ends upon the ground. There is no one in that
room behind you! Let me look.” “Never!” said Miss Pross, who
understood the request as perfectly as Madame Defarge
understood the answer.

“If they are not in that room, they are gone, and can be pursued
and brought back,” said Madame Defarge to herself.

“As long as you don’t know whether they are in that room or not,
you are uncertain what to do,” said Miss Pross to herself; “and you